Car-coupling.



P. 0. JONES, OAR COUPLING.

APYPLIOATION FILED APR. 20, 1910. 991,209. Patented May 2, 1.911.

2 SHEETS-SIEEET 1.

WWW Fredric/I 0. Jone-5 F. o. JONES.

OAR COUPLING. APYLIOATION FILED APR.20, 1910.

991,209. Patented May 2, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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FREDERICK 0. JONES, 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO.

GAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1911.

Application filed April 20, 1910. Serial No. 556,523.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK O. J ONES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the improvement of car couplers and the objects of my invention are to produce an improved car coupler of the vertical clutch type, wherein is provided improved means for releasing the knuckle locking pin through the operation of a lever arm depending from the underside of the coupler head and wherein is provided an improved construction by means of which the knuckle is moved to the open position; to provide improved means for automatically locking the knuckle in its closed, position and to produce other improvements the details of which will be more fully pointed out hereinafter. These objects I accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a horizontal section of the coupler on line wm"of Fig. 3, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the knuckle in its open position, Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line yy of Fig. 1, the locking pin being shown in elevation, Fig. 4: is a detail view in perspective illustrating the relative positions of the knuckle, locking pin and pin operating lever when the knuckle is closed, Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line mw of Fig. 3, with the knuckle and locking pin omitted, Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line g g of Fig. 1 showing the knuckle and locking pin in partly open positions the locking pin being shown in lock set position, and Fig. 7 is also a section on line y-y of Fig. 1 showing the positions of the tail of the knuckle and locking pin when the knuckle is open.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a coupler head 1 which is provided with the usual forward depression or mouth 2 and curved jaws 3 and 4. Formed in the body of the coupler head in rear of the mouth portion, is a chamber or recess 5 which communicates with said mouth portion through a transverse slot 5*. The greater portion of the recess 5 lies to one side of the center of the coupler head. Between the rear wall of the recess portion 5 and the base of the slotged opening 5 extends a fixed horizontal The numeral 7 represents the coupler knuckle which comprises the aw member 7 and the tail 7 the latter having a tapering terminal member 7 which is substantially parallel with the knuckle aw 7 but which extends or projects outwardly in a direction opposite to the direction of projection of said knuckle jaw. The inner side or end of the knuckle tail extension 7 presents a straight vertical surface such as is shown at 7 while the inner and longer side of the knuckle tail extension is cut away throughout the greater portion of its length to form a flat horizontal ledge 7 e which results in the formation of a beveled shoulder 7, which terminates near the end of said knuckle tail extension. The knuckle 7 is pivoted in the usual manner in the bifurcated jaw 4 of the knuckle head, through the medium of a knuckle pin 8 and when the knuckle is swung inward to its Y closed position, the knuckle tail extension 7 lies, as shown, within the recess 5 and at one side of the longitudinal center of the coupler head. The knuckle is held or locked in this position against outward movement, by the contact of its straight vertical surface 7 heretofore described, with one side of the squared body of the vertically disposed locking pin 9, the upper portion of which when elevated enters an upward extension 5 of the chamber or recess 5. The lower portion of the pin body 9 has extending downward from its rear side and formed therewith, two vertical and separated legs 9 and 9 the leg 9 having a rounded termination and being of greater length than the leg 9 and the latter having an offset or shoulder formed near its lower end and on its inner side, as shown at 9. When the pin is in its lower or locked position, the legs 9 and 9 extend downward, as shown, on opposite sides of the fixed bar 6.

The numeral 10 represents a locking pin and knuckle operating lever which normally lies in the bottom of the recess 5 and one end of said lever being pivoted at 10 within the recess 5, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The lower side of the lever beneath its pivot pin, is provided with a downwardly extending arm 10 which passes through a slotted opening 1 in the bottom of the coupler head and which is adapted to have connected with its lower end a suitable operating rod not herein shown. As indicated in the drawing, the operating lever 10 decreases in thickness or height from its inner end outward and near the center of its length, the upper side of said lever is formed with a rounded camlike projection 10 from which the upper surface of the lever inclines downwardly to a groove or transverse depression 10 in the lever body. Beyond this depression the terminal portion of the lever is in the nature of a tapering tongue 10 which curves upwardly and forwardly.

As heretofore explained, the contact of the squared end 7 of the knuckle tail extension, with the side of the body of the pin 9, operates to lock the knuckle against outward swinging movement and when the pin is in its locked position, its longer arm 9 bears upon the rounded projection 10 of the lever 10. In order to release the knuckle from its locked position, the handle or arm member 10 of the lever 10, is moved in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3, with the result that the lever 10 is swung upward, thereby raising the pin 9 until the lower end of its body portion is above the tail of the knuckle. The continued upward swinging movement of the lever, results in the rounded lower end of the pin leg 9 moving forward into the recess 10 of the lever 10 and in this operation the pin is moved laterally until the shoulder 9 of the pin 9 rests upon the fixed bar 6. This continued upward swinging movement of the lever 10, also results in its curved and tapering terminal member 10, engaging the knuckle tail and swinging the knuckle to the open position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. In this swinging operation of the knuckle, the shoulder 7 f of the knuckle, comesinto contact with one corner of the pin body 9, resulting in said pin being moved to its former vertical position, the shoulder 9 of the pin leg being moved out of contact with the fixed bar 6 and the weight of the pin taken up by the knuckle tail. WVhen the knuckle is again closed through the engagement with the knuckle of the next car, it is obvious that the knuckle tail will be again forced inward until the lower end of the pin body rides ofl the knuckle tail and the pin drops to the locked position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4: of the drawing.

From the construction and operation described, it will be seen that positive means are provided for retaining the knuckle locked against voluntary outward movement, for releasing the knuckle look by a lever arranged beneath the body of the knuckle and for throwing the knuckle outward to the open position.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that simple and efficient means are herein provided for accomplishing the objects of the invention, but while the elements shown and described are well adapt ed to serve the purposes for which they are intended, it is to be understoodthat the in-- vention is not limited to the precise construction set forth, but includes within its purview such changes as may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is,-

1. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head comprising a recessed body having jaw members, a fixed bar extending between the front and rear walls of the recessed portion, said head having an opening in its under side communicating with the recess thereof, of a coupling knuckle pivoted to one of the jaws of the head, said knuckle having a tail portion provided with a curved terminal member, the latter having a longitudinal shoulder on its upper side, a ver- 7 tically movable locking pin supported in the coupler head recess and having separated legs extending downwardly therefrom, one of said legs having a shoulder formed in its lower portion, said locking pin being sup: ported in lockingposition on the fixed bar and adapted to contact with the knuckle tail and prevent the latter from outward swinging movement, a pivoted lever near the bottom portion of the coupler head recess, said lever having an arm extending through the bottom opening of Said head, the longer leg of said locking pin contacting with said lever when the pin is in its lowered position. 7

In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head comprising a recessed body portion and jaw members, and a fixed bar extending across the inner end of the head recess, of a knuckle pivoted in one of said jaw members, the tail of said knuckle extending within the recess of the head and having a lateral extension 7 formed with a shoulder 7, a vertically movable pin supported in the coupler head recess and having separated leg extensions adapted to straddle the fixed bar, one of said leg exten sions being longer than the other, the shorter leg having a shoulder, a normally horizontal operating lever pivoted in the lower portion of the coupler head recess and having an arm extending through an opening in the bottom of the head, said lever having a projection extending therefrom upon which the end of the longer leg extension is adapted to bear, and a depression in front of said projection in which the longer leg extension is adapted to seat when the lever is moved upward, the terminal portion of said lever being inclined upwardly and forwardly.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK O. JONES. Witnesses:

JOSEPH P. EAGLESON, O. C. SHEPHERD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

